Since its announcement in 2012, Star Citizen has become one of the most profitable crowdfunding projects. This figure includes funds raised from Kickstarter, early access sales, in-game items, and private investments.
Star Citizen started as a large-scale Kickstarter campaign in October 2012, promising a large and player-oriented space simulator. From the early days, the project was built as a long, phased, and fully community-supported endeavor — a model that keeps sponsors interested through constant development goals and new ships. But despite the steady influx of funds, the game is still in development and is distributed as an alpha, not a finished product.
Reports recorded $300 million by mid-2020, $400 million by the end of 2021, and $500 million by September 2022. By 2024–2025, the project crossed the $800 million mark and climbed higher.
The long road and lack of version 1.0 have created a split in the community. Some sponsors still support the development. The rest of the community expresses dissatisfaction with the constant delays. The situation is exacerbated by disputes about monetization — especially about paid in-game items.